March 08, 2012

I've been taking a little break from food this week, doing my partial juice cleanse. Although I haven't exactly indulged lately, it feels good to kind of re-calibrate your body and your relationship to food every now and then. I think it's also important to realise what kind of cleansing suits you best - I am trying to be kind to my body and I don't want to deprive it from all the energy, hence I prefer having one light meal every day during my cleanse. Some people might find it easier to stick to all juices, whilst some others might not find juice cleansing suitable at all. In all dietary preferences, I think it's important to remember bio-individuality - since we are all so different, no one diet can work for everyone.

This mostly raw kelp noodle salad is a perfect light meal to fit in to your cleansing routine or enjoyed even off the cleanse! Kelp noodles are literally only made of kelp (a sea vegetable) and can be eaten raw in salads, stir-fries, hot soups, etc. I've used kelp noodles previously in this recipe. Since the noodles are very mild in taste on their own, they are perfect paired with stronger flavours. Here, I've used red cabbage, peppery white radish, cucumber and green onions and seasoned the dish with some toasted sesame seeds and Bragg's All-Purpose Seasoning and some chilli flakes. You could use any seasonal vegetables instead - carrots, broccoli (preferably raw or very lightly steamed), zucchini or leafy greens would be great. My suggestion is to keep it mostly raw and light, especially if you are cleansing.

Enjoy!

Mostly Raw Kelp Noodle Salad

(serves 2)

340g kelp noodles*

small 1/4 red cabbage

10 cm piece white radish

1 cucumber

2 green onions

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 tablespoons Bragg's all-purpose seasoning (or 1 tablespoon tamari)

1/2 lime, juiced

pinch of chilli flakes

freshly ground black pepper

* kelp noodles are available at health food stores

1. Rinse the noodles under warm water and place in a large mixing bowl.